Welfare Quality Protocol Farm Animals

The Welfare Quality protocol provides a scientifically validated, comprehensive framework for farm animal welfare assessment across multiple species.

Key Facts

Welfare Quality was developed through a major EU research project involving 50 institutions
The protocol assesses four principles including good feeding, housing, health, and appropriate behavior
Assessments use animal-based indicators observed directly on animals rather than input measures
Protocols exist for cattle, pigs, and poultry with ongoing development for other species

Welfare Considerations

The Welfare Quality protocol represents the most comprehensive validated approach to farm animal welfare assessment, focusing on outcomes measured directly from animals rather than farm inputs. This approach captures actual welfare experienced by animals rather than assuming that certain inputs produce good welfare. Adopting Welfare Quality standards in certification programs and regulation would substantially improve the quality and comparability of welfare assessment across farms.

What You Can Do

Support certification programs adopting Welfare Quality assessment methods
Advocate for animal-based welfare indicators in regulatory frameworks
Support research extending Welfare Quality methods to additional species
Engage with the Welfare Quality scoring system to understand what good welfare means for different species